Hospital security contract decision questioned by Opposition

The province's move to hire an out-of-province company to provide security at P.E.I.'s largest hospitals was questioned Thursday by Opposition leader Jamie Fox in the Legislature Thursday.

The province awarded the contract to Paladin Security, a Vancouver-based company instead of renewing a contract with commissionaires.

Forty commissionaires working at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the Prince County Hospital were laid off last month.

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Fox asked Health Minister Doug Currie why the province chose an off-Island company, and whether Paladin asked to renegotiate a higher price after the contract was signed.

"Can you confirm the difference in what the commissionaires gave for a contract price and what Paladin Security gave was less than $80,000 a year?" Fox asked.

Currie said he wasn't directly involved in the negotiations but would look into the Opposition's questions.

"The security contract that was awarded has a total value of $4.2 million over the life of the four-year contract, with a possible year extension. In the life of the contract, it's approximately $500,000 in savings," said Currie.

He also said 27 of the 32 commissionaires that were working at the QEH, were offered their positions back.